Swing



R. w. SILER 3,161,893

SWING Dec. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 50, 1963 I/ I /Z6 I 205527 M 071 .62 BY R. W. SILER Dec. 22, 1964 SWING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1965 mv fiToR. 64.6287 6/158 ArmzA/zys.

United States Patent 3,161,893 SWENG Robert W. Siler, Rt). Box 241, Wiiliamshurg, Ky. Filed .luly 30, 1963, Ser. No. 293,750 12 Claims. (Ci. -120) This invention relates to a swing and has as its primary object the provision of an improved swing characterized by a body supporting portion, and a leg supporting portion hinged to the body, the leg supporting portion having upwardly and downwardly extending parts which meet in an apex, which is normally positioned at the bend of an individuals knees, and wherein the swinging action extends longitudinally of the body of an individual lying supine in the swing.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be propelled by pressure of the individuals legs against the leg supporting portion, thus etfectuating pivotal motion of the same, and consequent linear movement of flexible supports which extend upwardly from points adjacent the head of the body supporting portion and which are connected to an overhead supporting surface. Additional flexible supports depend to a ring connection overlying the leg supporting section, from which divergent connections extend respectively to the foot of the foot supporting portion and the opposite end of the body supporting portion.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a swing or support of this character which is restful, which may improve health by keeping the back straight, which will provide exercise for the legs, and which will enhance circulation when employed as an exercising device.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the pivotal inclination of the leg supporting portion of the body supporting portion may be varied by variation in the effective length of the supporting means, and hence adjustable to an individuals height, or to different postures of the body.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a leg lever adjustment ring for varying the leverage on the supporting means.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a particular arrangement of the supporting means to effect stabilization of the swing thereby diminishing any rolling or lateral motion to preclude contact of the swing with nearby walls or a supporting scaffold.

A further objective of the instant invention is a handhold bar or spreader bar which simultaneously functions as a gripping means to facilitate getting on and off the swing and assists in the stabilization of the device by maintaining the supporting means in a predetermined spaced relationship.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, which is restful, beneficial to health, and comfortable to utilize, and which may be manufactured with a minimum of time and expense.

Other and further objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there are shown preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one form of swing embodying features of the instant inventive concept, various positions of adjustment thereof being indicated in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the swing with the supports omitted, taken substantially along the line 22 'ice of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 44 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing one means of adjusting the length of the chains comprising the flexible supports for the device;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing a further adjustment of the chains;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the swing of the instant invention having various modifications incorporated thereinto;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIG. 7 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view of one form of handheld bar or spreader bar particularly adapted for use with the swing of the instant invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line ltl1tl of FIG. 7 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters {refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference particularly to FIGURES 1-6, the swing of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a body supporting portion generally indicated at 11 and a leg supporting portion generally indicated at 12. The body supporting portion comprises a generally rectangular panel 13 which may be constructed of any desired material, and which is provided along the longitudinal edges of its underside with linearly extending reinforcing braces 14. The braces 14 are bevelled at their opposite ends as at 15 in a manner and for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. Leg supporting portion 12 includes an upwardly inclined portion 16 which is fixedly secured at its uppermost edge 17 to the upper edge of a downwardly extending portion 18. The angle of inclination is approximately 30 in a downward direction, and portions 15 and 18 are provided along their side edges with reinforcing brace members 19 which are bevelled at their ends as at 20. Hinge members 21 are positioned on opposite sides of the leg supporting portion and the end of the body supporting portion for securing the parts together in hinged pivotal relation. The hinges are double action, and the adjacent bevelled portions 15 and 20 of the reinforcing braces or members 14 and 19 permit the hinge to flex so that the normally upwardly inclined portion 16 may extend downwardly in certain positions of adjustment.

Leg retaining plates 22 are provided along opposite sides of the leg supporting portion and extend substantially the full length thereof, being provided with arcuate top portions 23, of a height to prevent the slippage of the legs oil the leg supporting portion, when exercised, to exert pressure on the leg supporting portion, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

Transversely aligned eyes 25 are positioned on opposite sides of the top surface of the body supporting portion at points adjacent but spaced from the end thereof away from the hinge members 21, and have secured thereto flexible supports 25, which extend vertically upwardly in parallelism and secured to eyes or hooks 27 suitably affixed to an overhead support, such as a ceiling or the like. Wires or cords may be employed for this purpose, but flexible chains have been found to be most satisfactory.

A second pair of flexible supporting chains or members 28 are secured to eyes 29 which are transversely aligned and secured to the end of the body supporting portion immediately adjacent the hinges 21. This pair of chains extends upwardly to individual ring connectors 3'0 disposed above, in normal position, the uppermost portion of the leg supporting portion 12. An additional pair or chains 31 extends upwardly from the ring connectors 3% to overhead hooks or supports 32 which are aligned longitudinally with the supports 27 and which are spaced apart a distance equal to the full width of the swing. An additional pair of chains 33 extend from ring connectors 30 to additional rings 34 which are located at the extreme end or lowermost portion of the downwardly inclined part 16 of the leg supporting member 12.

Adjustment of any of the pairs of chains may be effected by double-ended hooks 35 as shown in FIGURE 5, for example, wherein such a hook is shown as connected to an intermediate link 34a of one of chains 34 to vary the relative angle of inclination of the leg supporting member relative to the body supporting member. FIG- URE 6 discloses a similar hook 35 in one of chains 25, taking up a bight of slack 26a to vary the effective length of the supporting chains. Obviously, any desired effective length of chain may be provided by such means.

If desired, a pillow 3'6 may be provided at the upper end of the head portion.

Alternately, the effective length of the supporting chains may be varied as shown particularly in FIGS. 7-10 wherein parts similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6 are indicated by like reference numerals followed by a prime A leg lever adjustment means comprising an adjustable ring 37 of an inside diameter slightly in excess of the size of two links may be readily incorporated in circumscribing relationship to the supporting chains 28', 31', and 33. This ring 37 may be utilized to vary the effective length of these supporting chains and thereby the angular relationship of the body supporting portion 11' and the leg supporting portion 12', by sliding the same down over supporting chains 28' and 33 as shown particularly in FIGS. 7 and thereby increasing the angle between these chains and varying the leverage thereon.

The swing it) may be stabilized against rolling or lateral motion to preclude contact of the same with nearby walls or a supporting scaffold of any desired configuration (not shown) by arrangements as shown in FIGS. 7-10. Instead of the supporting chains 26 extending vertically upward in parallelism as shown particularly in FIG. 3, a stabilizing means comprising a double-ended, substantially C-shaped hook 355, of less length than the distance between the eyes may be engaged with intermediate links 2% in each supporting chain 26'. Then a handhold or spreader bar 39 substantially as long as the dimension between the eyes 25' may be engaged between another pair of intermediate links 26c. The bar 39 may have reduced diameter end portions 3% which will pass through the links 26c and cotter pins or the like may be engaged through apertures in the end portions 3% to maintain the bar 3? in position. The bar acts both to spread the supporting chains and to facilitate getting into and out of the swing in an obvious manner.

Similarly, the supporting chains 28', 311. and 33 may be stabilized by engaging an S-shaped hook 425. in intermediate links 3la' while engaging a spreader bar 39 substantially as long as the dimension between eyes 29 or 34' in intermediate links 31b. Shortening of these supportim chains may be additionally accomplished by C-shaped hooks 42 engaged in intermediate links 310' as shown particularly in FIG. 10.

From the foregoing, the use and operation of the device should now be readily understandable. A user lies supine on the body supporting surface 13 and positions his thighs against the upwardly inclined portion 16 with the calves of his legs positioned on the downwardly extending inclined portion 18, the knees extending over the apex 17. The normal position of the device is indicated in full ines in FZGURE 1. Pressure of the thighs against upwardly inclined portion 15 will cause the device to swing to the right, varying the relative angular inclination of the foot supporting portion 32 to the right-hand position indicated by dotted lines, to a greater or lesser extent. Obviously the return movement of the swing will be to the dotted line position indicated to the left in FIGURE 1, and continued application and release of pressure by the thighs will continue the swinging motion to the degree desired by the occupant. The pivotal motion of the foot supporting portion 12 relative to the body supporting portion ill will exercise the legs and abdominal muscles, enhance circulation, and generally improve the feeling of well-being of the occupant.

Obviously propulsion may be efiected from an external source it desired.

The supporting chains may be stabilized against lateral deflection as shown in FIGS. 7-10 and a handheld bar such as 39 may be provided particularly between supporting chains 2 toassist the user in getting into and out of the swing by functioning as a grip means with which to pull or push himself with respect to the swing.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved swing, which accomplishes all of the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

i claim."

1. A swing construction comprised of a relatively fiat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges thereof, the ends of said reenforcing members being bevelled in a direction away from said body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and-fixedly secured together at their upper ends at an angle of approximately 30, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end or said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges of both said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions and having their ends bevelled to permit pivotal movement of said body supporting portion downwardly below a first pair of flexible chain supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, ring connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from said ring connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible chain supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one chain support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said legsupporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one chain of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

2. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges thereof, the ends of said reenforcing members being bevelled in a direction away from said body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and fixedly secured together at their upper ends at an angle of approximately 30, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges of both said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions and having their ends bevelled to permit pivotal movement of said body supporting portion downwardly below 180, a first pair of flexible chain supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, ring connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from said ring connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible chain supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one chain support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said leg supporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one chain of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion of said body supporting portion, and double hook means extending from each ring connection to a selected link in each of said fourth pair of chains whereby to vary the eflective length of said fourth pair of chains and hence the normal inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

3. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges thereof, the ends of said reenforcing members being bevelled in a direction away from said body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and fixedly secured together at their upper ends at an angle of approximately 30, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges of both said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions and having their ends bevelled to permit pivotal movement of said body supporting portion downwardly below 180, a first pair of flexible chain supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, ring connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from said ring connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible chain supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one chain support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said leg supporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one chain of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion of said body supporting portion, double hook means extending from each ring connection to a selected link in each of said fourth pair of chains whereby to vary the effective length of said fourth pair of chains and hence the normal inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion, and upwardly extending leg retaining plates secured along the full length of opposite sides of said leg supporting portion.

4. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges thereof, the ends of said reenforcing members being bevelled in a direction away from said body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion includ ing a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and fixedly secured together at their upper ends, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, reenforcing members extending longitudinally along the underside edges of both said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions and having their ends bevelled to permit pivotal movement of said body supporting portion downwardly below a first pair of flexible supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from said connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said leg supporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one support of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

5. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and fixedly secured together at their upper ends, hin e means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, a first pair of flexible chain supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, ring connections at the upper end or" each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible chain supports extending upwardly from said ring connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible chain supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one chain support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said leg supporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one chain of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

6. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat substantially rectangular elongated body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being substantially rectangular and fixedly secured together at their upper ends, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, a first pair of flexible supports extending perpendicularly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion but spaced therefrom in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof immediately adjacent said hinge means, connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from said connections in longitudinal and transverse parallelism to said first pair of supports, a fourth pair of flexible supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points immediately adjacent the lower end of said normally downwardly inclined portion, one support of each pair lying in the same longitudinal plane at right angles to the axis of pivotal movement of said leg supporting portion relative to said body supporting portion with one support of every other pair, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body supporting and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

A 7. A swing construction comprised of a relatively flat elongated body supporting portion, a leg supporting portion including a normally upwardly inclined portion and a normally downwardly inclined portion, said upwardly and downwardly inclined portions being secured together at their upper ends, hinge means securing the lower end of said upwardly inclined portion to one end of said body supporting portion for pivotal movement relative thereto, a first pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from a point adjacent the other end of said body supporting portion in transverse alignment on opposite sides thereof adapted to be secured to an overhead support, a second pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from transversely aligned points on opposite sides of said body support portion at said one end thereof, connections at the upper end of each of said second pair of supports, a third pair of flexible supports extending upwardly from said connections, and a fourth pair of flexible supports extending from said connections to transversely aligned opposite points adjacent the lower end of said downwardly inclined portion, whereby leg pressure exerted downwardly against said leg supporting portion will cause linear swinging movement of said body and leg supporting portions and simultaneous variation of the relative angular inclination of said leg supporting portion to said body supporting portion.

8. The structure of claim 7 further including a hand hold bar extending between said first set of supports.

9. The structure of claim 7 further including an adjusting ring slidably secured in circumscribing relationship to said second and fourth supports on each side of said swing.

10. The structure of claim 7 further including stabilizing means to diminish lateral movement of said swing.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said stabilizing means includes a connecting means of a dimension less than the space between said points to which said first pair of supports are secured, said connecting means extending between said first pair or supports, and a spreader bar of a dimension approximately equal to the space between said points extending between said first pair of supports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LAAA- 

1. A SWING CONSTRUCTION COMPRISED OF A RELATIVELY FLAT SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR ELONGATED BODY SUPPORTING PORTION, REENFORCING MEMBERS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE UNDERSIDE EDGES THEREOF, THE ENDS OF SAID REENFORCING MEMBERS BEING BEVELLED IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID BODY SUPPORTING PORTION, A LEG SUPPORTING PORTION INCLUDING A NORMALLY UPWARDLY INCLINED PORTION AND A NORMALLY DOWNWARDLY INCLINED PORTION, SAID UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED PORTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR AND FIXEDLY SECURED TOGETHER AT THEIR UPPER ENDS AT AN ANGLE OF APPROXIMATELY 30*, HINGE MEANS SECURING THE LOWER END OF SAID UPWARDLY INCLINED PORTION TO ONE END OF SAID BODY SUPPORTING PORTION FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO, REENFORCING MEMBERS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE UNDERSIDE EDGES OF BOTH SAID UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED PORTIONS AND HAVING THEIR ENDS BEVELLED TO PERMIT PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID BODY SUPPORTING PORTION DOWNWARDLY BELOW 180*, A FIRST PAIR OF FLEXIBLE CHAIN SUPPORTS EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY FROM A POINT ADJACENT THE OTHER END OF SAID BODY SUPPORTING PORTION BUT SPACED THEREFROM IN TRANSVERSE ALIGNMENT ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT, A SECOND PAIR OF FLEXIBLE CHAIN SUPPORTS EX- 